Fashion Madness Men

 For the last few days, Just Jay  has been teasing us with boxed photos of the long-awaited Fashion Madness men.  This weekend I was fortunate enough to find them at a Walmart in Stockbridge, GA and had no qualms about plunking down my money for Night Out T.J.

and Everyday Dwayne.

The face mold somewhat resembles Ryan McDaniel, the actor who plays Kenya's boyfriend, T.J.

Jonathan McDaniel plays T.J.'s younger cousin, Dwayne.  Both dolls share the same face mold, but Dwayne has flocked hair.  

Although their chiseled torsos and molded on briefs are the same, T.J.'s legs are longer than Dwayne's so he stands taller.

Yet both cousins can wear Ken fashions.

Their slim, aristocratic feet fit most male fashion doll shoes.  While their ankles are not articulated, their knee joints pivot, which allows for more poseability.

Thus the fellows can indulge in a friendly game of hoops.  Here T.J. sports a Justin Bieber outfit,

while Dwayne works a One Direction ensemble.

Long-legged T.J. spanked booty again so Dwayne takes his ball and heads home.

T.J. and Dwayne have wider shoulders than the One Direction guys and could not wriggle into most of their shirts so I used this Ken shirt which opens all the way down the back.

Later that evening, T.J. and Dwayne take Kenya's BFF, Denise out for her birthday.

The $10 versions of Denise available at Walmart don't have the full articulation of the first wave Kenya dolls. 

It looks like Denise has nevertheless found an admirer.  Power Team figures can wear Dwayne's clothes.

-- but clothes sized for T.J.'s long limbs make it look like Mattel sent a boy to do a man's job.

The clothes are made of quality fabrics with neat stitching.

Still the big question is, how will our 1:6 scale ladies like these big-headed brothers?

Trichelle doesn't seem to mind Dwayne's over-sized endowments at all.

À Bientôt

Phat as Duckbutter

Having survived a root canal earlier in the week, yesterday I dropped into Walmart to do some retail therapy and struck gold -- the new, articulated SIS dolls dressed in Baby Phat fashions were on the shelf.

Unfortunately these dolls do not have the pivotal torsos or knees that allow the Fashionistas to pose so expressively.  Their range of motion is the same as the Kenya dolls, but Kenya feels a little lighter and more brittle.

Trichelle is not available in this wave of SIS dolls. Marissa didn't want her to feel left out so she let her model this Baby Phat fashion.

I am not fond of this melon pink, probably because it is a color I can't wear however I love the purple print leggings.

The Baby Phat logo necklace is a fun accessory

and the purple shoes are scrumptious.

When I lived in New Orleans, I used to tutor the little girls who lived next door.  One day when we were drawing self portraits, the middle girl who was about twelve used the brown marker to color her face and then exclaimed "oh no!  that's too dark!"  Then she took the yellow marker to give herself blonde hair.  I always felt that Kara had the same kind of complex about her complexion.  At least she has found a better colorist this time.

Now if we could just get her to ditch the pink lipstick...

Fortunately this Kenya Fashion madness dress compliments Kara's complexion well and her feet are small enough to squeeze into Kenya's shoes.

Meanwhile Marissa now has enough points of articulation to really work Movin' On Kenya's outfit.

Each of the Baby Phat SIS dolls comes with a pair of stylish sunglasses.

The face screens on some of these dolls seems a little askew but I'm sure Chynadoll can work wonders with them.

Kenya loves Kara's Baby Phat shorts and sweater.

The sweater fits well even though Kenya is a bit better endowed than the SIS dolls.

The tube top and shorts are sewn together as a one piece romper that fastens in the back with a strip of velcro.

While Kenya is searching for her contact lens we can admire her... Baby Phat shoes!

Kenya and the SIS dolls have a very different sense of style but they can wear each others' outfits and add their own personal flair to each one.

For example Grace can rock Rock Star Kenya's jacket and jeans

but she adds her own a note of sophisticated elegance with her Baby Phat sunglasses.

I was never sure what color Grace's eyes were supposed to be before but in this new face screen they are clearly green.

Kenya's hips and thighs are fuller but she can fit comfortably into Grace's slinky black leggings and pink top.

The asymmetrical collar is a very distinctive detail.

Ankle boots complete the ensemble.

The two divas find they can respect each other.

Chandra even invited Kenya to attend her church.

I was disappointed that Chandra's outfit turned out to be a one piece dress.  At the very least, I feel the jacket should have been a separate piece but Kenya was so happy Chandra loaned it to her that she stood up and shouted "Hallelujah!" 

When it came time for the collection she proudly tipped up to the altar in these snazzy shoes.

Kenya is obviously one of those people who goes to church to be seen.

In contrast, Chandra fell to her knees and gave thanks that she has finally been blessed with an articulated body.

I was very glad Chandra was also blessed with soft, curly black hair.  She accented Riviera Kenya's three piece pink suit with a matching Baby Phat headband. 

While I love Chandra the best

all of the new SIS dolls are phat as duckbutter!

À Bientôt

I Am Now Officially Speechless

    Doll ornaments were just a part of the creative work that the Dazzling Dames shared at the holiday party last Sunday.  Members also brought dolls and other projects to the Red Hen Fabrics shop in Marietta, GA for show and tell.  Kenya came along with me to show off the threaded locks wig I made for her.

Unfortunately this Victorian Barbie dream house was not for sale.

It serves to keep children entertained while their caregivers shop or take classes with accomplished artists like Martha Dudley.  Miss Martha was proud to have finally completed this “Twelve Days of Christmas” quilt after working on it on and off for several years.

The panels are all intricate applique work depicting the verses of the famous Christmas carol.

10 lords a leaping,

9 ladies dancing,

5 golden rings,

and a partridge in a pear tree.

    Miss Martha also made these three pretty maids all in a row.

They are designed to sit atop a mantel.  The one with the tie-dye motif is for her daughter who loves everything sixties-related.

    Miss Lorraine brought a gingerbread doll that looks sweet enough to eat.

She made it for a friend who has decorated her kitchen with a gingerbread theme. 

    Miss Margaret created two very interesting dolls with baskets to hold her favorite Scentsy flameless candles.  The candles come in a variety of fragrances.  This lady in red was inspired by the “romance” scent.

Another line of these fragrances evokes the seven seas so Miss Margaret created a doll from a map print fabric.

With her fiery red curls she looks powerful enough to cup the whole 'round world in her hands.

    For many years Miss Joy traveled the country selling her dolls at craft fairs.  One of her specialties was needle-sculpted dolls made from pantyhose.

Amazingly enough, the fabric doesn’t run.  “Gretel” has held up for over twenty years!

    Angela Ferguson’s piece was a very interesting commission.  A lady had asked her to create a mermaid doll for her sister-in-law who had won a prestigious poetry award.

The honoree was Nikky Finney who received the National Book Award for Poetry in 2011.  As Miss Angela researched and brainstormed ideas for the piece, she watched interviews with the poet and learned that for years Finney had used a special brand of pencils crafted by the Black Feet Indians.  Unfortunately they have now stopped producing these pencils and Finney has been jealously hoarding her last box.  Writing with these pencils makes every word precious so Miss Angela created a box of pencils for the mermaid, Pohetta to use. 

    In her acceptance speech, Finney also noted that since the slave codes made it a crime to teach enslaved people to read, African Americans are the only people in the United States who had been forbidden to attain literacy.  Finney’s speech reflected on the ways such laws had silenced African Americans and expressed gratitude to all the mentors who encouraged her to break that silence in her poetry.  Miss Angela was struck by the fact that Finney ended her speech saying “I am now officially speechless” so she incorporated this phrase into the design of the doll. 

    I am now officially speechless at the creativity and skill of the Dazzling Dames!

Here is Nikky Finney's 2011 National Book Award in Poetry acceptance speech:

"Can the camera smell?" she asks as she talks about her favorite Black Feet pencils:

À Bientôt